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SCC pulls out of planned move to new Woking HQ

SURREY County Council has cancelled plans to move its
headquarters to Woking, due to the current restrictions involved with the coronavirus
pandemic.

The authority was due to leave County Hall in Kingston and move to Midas House in Goldsworth Road. Back in November, county council leader Tim Oliver said staff would begin to move out of Kingston in phases from spring 2020.

Midas House in Goldsworth Road was to become the new HQ of Surrey County Council until the move was cancelled due to the Coronavirus crisis

But the global pandemic has curtailed any immediate plans to
establish Woking as Surrey’s civic heart.

“Although I am disappointed the county council will not be
moving to Woking as planned, this was inevitable with the current pandemic. The
council is rightly focused on fighting coronavirus and protecting vulnerable
local people,” said Will Forster, county councillor for Woking South as well as
borough councillor for Hoe Valley, and chairman of the task group responsible
for scrutinising the move.

“If this move went ahead, there was a real risk the county council
would have purchased Midas House when the property market was at a high before
the coronavirus pandemic but sold County Hall in Kingston-upon-Thames when
property was cheaper afterwards. That would be unacceptable and not be value
for money for taxpayers.”

Cllr Forster said that, as a result of the COVID-19
situation, the current tenants of Midas House cannot move out and the council
cannot get access to all of the building to make it suitable for its use.

In addition, the procurement and commissioning of a
contractor to carry out the necessary works to turn Midas House into a County
Hall style property was just not possible under the current lockdown
constraints.

He added: “I am pleased the council has agreed with me that
Woking remains the best place for the county council to have its civic heart
once the pandemic is over.”